Report Title:

DOE; UH; Military Students; Appropriation

Description:

Appropriates funds for additional funds for schools that serve larger populations of military dependent students. Requires the University of Hawaii to establish a program to allow readmission to military members who have been deployed.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1632

TWENTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2005

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

relating to education.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. Since the increasing deployment of Hawaii based military members, including the Hawaii National Guard and reserve, to overseas assignments, military families are faced with financial, social, and recreational difficulties. These families must cope through maintaining a healthy household environment with or without the assistance of the military member. As a result, some public school personnel have been tasked with additional psychological, social, and academic needs that go beyond that of a normal school environment.

In 1999, the Joint Venture Education Forum (JVEF) was established with the assistance of the department of education to promote teamwork and better communication between the armed forces and the department. With over 21,000 military family members enrolled in Hawaii public schools, all service members have a large stake in the quality of public education. One mission of the JVEF is to assist the department of education in their understanding and support of the needs of military children and families.

Due to the increased deployment, the legislature finds that it is necessary to provide additional staffing to public schools that are impacted by a larger population of military dependent children. To assist the department in identifying schools in most need of the additional staffing, organizations such as JVEF can provide the necessary information to aid in the department's determination.

The legislature further finds that these military members who are home-based in Hawaii often face disruption to their personal and professional lives when deployed. Many are enrolled in state educational programs and may have to leave the programs in order to fulfill their military obligations. These individuals are taken away from their daily routines and sent overseas under hostile conditions.

The purpose of this Act is for schools whose student population includes at least twenty per cent or one hundred students from military families as determined by the department of education to provide for the following:

(1) Additional staff;

(2) Child care services; and

(3) Vocational training and retraining.

This Act further authorizes the right of returning members of the military to retain readmission to programs of the University of Hawaii system.

SECTION 2. The department of education shall consult with the Joint Venture Education Forum to establish a priority listing of public schools that are impacted by a large population of military dependent students. In the development of the priority listing, the department shall consider establishing priority schools with a twenty per cent or more or one hundred or more population of dependent military students. The department shall compile the priority listing by May 31, 2005.

SECTION 3. The University of Hawaii shall establish a program to allow for readmission of returning military personnel into programs to which they have been previously been admitted; provided that the individual is returning from a tour of duty.

SECTION 4. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $1,000,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2005-2006, for the following:

(1) Additional staff;

(2) Child care services; and

(3) Vocational training and retraining;

provided that schools receiving the additional staff have a student population of twenty per cent or more or one hundred or more military dependent students.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of education for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect upon its approval; provided that section 4 shall be effective on July 1, 2005.

INTRODUCED BY:

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